Police: Boland received threat by email

A retired United Steel Workers (USW) official is facing charges after Corning City Councilman Bill Boland said he was threatened over his comments published in The Leader.

Comment

By James Postjpost@the-leader.com

The Leader

By James Postjpost@the-leader.com

Posted Nov. 4, 2013 at 5:38 PM

By James Postjpost@the-leader.com
Posted Nov. 4, 2013 at 5:38 PM

A retired United Steel Workers (USW) official is facing charges after Corning City Councilman Bill Boland said he was threatened over his comments published in The Leader.

Boland said he brought an Oct. 30 email message from Michael LeBarron to the attention of the Steuben County District Attorney's office, who then forwarded it to Painted Post-based New York State Police.

State police arrested LeBarron and charged him with second-degree coercion and second-degree aggravated harassment, both misdemeanors.

According to state police, an email was sent to Hornell Mayor and Steuben County Democratic Party Chairman Shawn Hogan, and copied to Boland.

The email focused on a letter to the editor published in The Leader in which Boland said he wasn't supporting Democrat Hilda Lando's bid for re-election to the Corning City Council.

Boland, also a Democrat, said he was unable to support Lando because of several votes she'd cast as a member of the Council, and instead endorsed her Republican challenger, Christopher Karam.

According to police, LeBarron wrote in the email that Boland's well-being would be in jeopardy if Hogan allowed Boland to serve on political committees, and reminded Hogan of USW's support of the Democratic party.

Hogan confirmed Monday he'd received the email, and described some of the content.

The key passage, according to Hogan, said: "In the future, I would request that the County Chair would remove Mr. Boland from any committees that would bring him in contact with me, as to not do so could put his physical well-being, as well as my freedom, in jeopardy."

The message also described Boland's statements in The Leader as "despicable and treacherous behavior," according to Hogan.

Hogan said he responded with an email telling LeBarron to reconsider what he had said, saying in part: "I'd also suggest that you tone down your emotions and refrain from talking about anyone's physical well-being, and let cooler heads prevail."

LeBarron, who was arraigned in Corning City Court and released, said Monday that while he wasn't sure exactly what communication led to his arrest, he acknowledged sending the email Hogan described, and sending a copy to Boland.

He said there was no real physical threat intended, and that he retracted his statement and apologized after the response from Hogan.

"I did step back from it. I apologized for anything I said wrong," LeBarron said.

Hogan also said he never considered the threat to Boland a serious one.

"I just took it as someone's emotions running away from them," Hogan said.

Boland said Monday he was content to leave the question in the hands of police and prosecutors.

In a statement sent by email, he said in part:

"In the professional judgement of State Police investigators the case should go forward. The investigation was completed and Mr. LeBarron was arrested. The matter is now in the hands of law enforcement, and I will have no further comment as the process proceeds."